Encouraged by the favourable reception accorded to the 'Oxford Modern
French Series,' the Delegates of the Clarendon Press determined, some
time since, to issue a 'Higher Series' of French works intended for
Upper Forms of Public Schools and for University and Private Students,
and have entrusted me with the task of selecting and editing the various
volumes that will be issued in due course.
The titles of the works selected will at once make it clear that this
series is a new departure, and that an attempt is made to provide
annotated editions of books which have hitherto been obtainable only
in the original French texts. That Madame de Staël, Madame de Girardin,
Daniel Stern, Victor Hugo, Lamartine, Flaubert, Gautier are among the
authors whose works have been selected will leave no doubt as to the
literary excellence of the texts included in this series.
Works of such quality, intended only for advanced scholars, could not be
annotated in the way hitherto usual, since those for whom they have been
prepared are familiar with many things and many events of which younger
students have no knowledge. Geographical and mythological notes have
therefore been generally omitted, as also historical events either too
well known to require elucidation or easily found in the ordinary books
of reference.
By such omissions a considerable amount of space has been saved which
has allowed of the extension of the texts, and of their equipment with
notes less elementary than usual, and at the same time brighter and
more interesting, whilst great care has been taken to adapt them to the
special character of each volume.
The Introductions are also a novel feature of the present series.
Originally they were to be exclusively written in English, but as it
was desired that they should be as characteristic as possible, and not
merely extracted from reference books, but real studies of the various
authors and their works, it was decided that the editors should write
them in their own native language.
Whenever it has been possible each volume has been adorned with a
portrait of the author at the time he wrote his book.
In conclusion I wish to repeat here what I have said in the General
Preface to the 'Oxford Modern French Series,' that 'those who speak a
modern language best invariably possess a good literary knowledge of
it.' This has been endorsed by the best teachers in this and other
countries, and is a generally admitted fact. The present series by
providing works of high literary merit will certainly facilitate the
acquisition of the French language--a tongue which perhaps more than any
other offers a variety of literary specimens which, for beauty of style,
depth of sentiment, accuracy and neatness of expression, may be equalled
but not surpassed.
LEON DELBOS.
OXFORD, _December_, 1905.